Population and Society

Overview

This course proposes to discuss the relationship between social processes and demographic transition in India.
Therefore, it focuses on introducing the tools and techniques of social demography,Indian data on demographic trends, and theories propounded to explain the available data.
It is expected that after doing this course the students would be familiar with the basic techniques, data and theories of social demography and will be well equipped to take up advanced studies in a selected field of population studies as a subfield of sociology. Specifically it focuses on the following:
Introduction:
Population studies as a branch of social sciences. Basic concepts in population studies. Relationship between population and society.
Sociological approaches to population. Quantitative and qualitative studies of population. Size, growth, composition and distribution of population.
Basic characteristics of Indian society:
Society and culture of India. Structure of Indian society. Sanskritization and Westernization. Dilemmas of development and modernization.
Research methods in population studies:
Primary and secondary data. Quantitative data. Introduction to census, national sample survey, RCH surveys, DLHS and SRS. Analytical approaches.
Qualitative data. Interview, observation and focus group discussion methods.Measures of fertility, morbidity, mortality, migration.
Demographic models:
Mathematical and statistical modeling. History of demographic models. Contemporary issues.
Limitations of mathematical and statistical models.
History of world population growth and its impact on society:
Population in ancient times. Demographic transition. Population in early Twentieth century.
Demographic schism between developed and developing countries. Future prospects.
Population of India:
Phases of population growth in India. Post-independence population explosion.
Its impact on society and economy. Recent trends. Future prospects.
Urbanization and development:
Definition of urbanization. Measurements of urbanization. Theories of urbanization and development. Urbanization in India.
Population theories:
Demographic transition theory. Malthusian and Marxian theories of population. Dalys synthesis. Optimum population theory.
Threshold hypothesis. Gandhian theory. Hardins concept of space ship and its implications.
Population policy and family planning programmes:
Population policy. Prenatal and antenatal policies. Effectiveness of population policies.
Family planning programme and beyond family planning measures to control fertility.
National population policy:
Family planning programme in India. Gandhian approach. Clinical approach. Extension education. Mass vasectomy camps.
Population policy statement by Dr. Karan Singh. Revision by Janata Party. National Population Policy (NPP) 2000. Critical evaluation of NPP.
Ecological degradation and environmental pollution:
Population as a component of ecology. Environment impact assessment. Population and environment. Envirnomental beliefs.
Emerging issues in sociology of population:
The framework of Millennium Development Goals. Reproductive and child health.
Gender inequalities and empowerment of women. Reducing maternal mortality.